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Human rights and comedy for Locarno’s screens

Carlo Chatrian in front of the screen on Locarno s Piazza Grande
The Piazza Grande open-air cinema remains one of the big attractions of the Locarno film festival. The 71st edition will be the last for artistic director Carlo Chatrian. Keystone

The leading Swiss film festival of Locarno is highlighting universal human rights in this year’s edition, which takes place in August.

“Every human being is unique, valuable and irreplaceable,” artistic director Carlo Chatrian is quoted as saying.

Presenting the line-up of the ten-day festival on Wednesday, the organisers External linkannounced that 15 films will be competing for a Golden Leopard award this year, including a Swiss entry – Thomas Imbach’s love drama, Glaubenberg.

A total of 18 films will also be shown in the popular Piazza Grand open-air cinema for up to 8,000 spectators each night.

Experts say a few star directors will be represented at the festival in southern Switzerland this year, notably Spike Lee.

French director Bruno Dumont will receive an Honorary Leopard award, and the Excellence Award will go to American actor/director Ethan Hawke. The festival will also pay tribute to American author Leo McCarey by screening LibertyExternal link, a short comedy film from 1929 starring Laurel and Hardy.

It is the final festival edition for Chatrian, who is set to leave southern Switzerland for the Berlin film festival in the German capital next year.

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